Quick-break switch



Sept. 11, 1923.

' J. F. BURNS QUICK BREAK SWITCH Filed Aug. 8, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Sept. 11, 1923.

J. F. BURNS QUICK BREAK SWITCH Filed Aug. 8, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w //0.f O 2. M h 0. 7%

Sept. "1-1; 1923. 1.467.527

' J. F. BURNS UICK-BREAK swrrca Filed Aug. 8, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I;Ill/1 I Patented Sept. 11', 1923. 1,467,527 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. BURNS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO V. V.FITTINGS COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYL- VANIA. QUICK-BREAK SWITCH.

Application filed August 8, 1918. Serial No. 248,886.

To all whomz't may concern: such a nature as to be conveniently manu- Beit known that 1, JAMES F. BURNs, a factured and assembled. citizen ofthe United States, residing in These objects and other advantageous endsPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented I attain as hereinafter setforth, reference Quick-Break Switches, of which the followbeing had tothe accompanying drawings, in 60 in is a specification. hi h v %neobject of this invention is to provide Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevationspartly in a novel device for insuring movement of a section,illustrating a quick break switch switch blade at a high speed after theopconstructed according to my invention, in its erating member of siichswitch has been closed and in its open positions, respec- 65 moved to apredetermined position, with a tively;

view to preventing or to a large extent re Flg. Zfyis a horizontalsection on the line ducing, the arcing ordinarily occurring. 33 Fig. 1;

It is further desired to provide an elec-' Fig. 1 is a longitudinalsection of one of tric switch with a novel form of toggle the toggleelements and its associated parts; 7

mechanism for insuring the quick action of and its blade and which shallbe of such con- Fig.5 is a perspective view of the construction that itis not possible for its tognecting member for the toggle elements, thegle arm pivots to remain in line or at their operating link and theswitch blades.

'20 dead point even though the switch op- In the above drawings 1represents a 7 crating memberbe moved slowly; the ar sheet metal boxconstituting an enclosing rangement of parts being such as to matecasingprovided with a front door 2 hinged rially reduce the power necessaryfor the to swing from the top and haaing within itoperation of saidswitch. a base plate or slab 3 of insulating material It is furtherdesired to provide a switch such as slate, marble or the like, on whichoperating mechanism whose parts shall'be are fixed in the customarymanner, two sets so formed and connected that when power of switchterminals 44 and 5-5. To the is applied to the actuating element to openterminals 5-5 are pivoted switch blades 6 or close the switch, saidparts shall be free to and cable or "conductor terminals 7 the 0 assumethose positions in which there will Switch terminal 5 being likewisedesigned 35 be the least resistance to their movement. for theattachment of conductor terminals 8. Another object of my invention/isto pro- Extending centrally between. the top and vicle an enclosedswitch with a novel form bottom of the casing. 1 at the front thereof oflink connecting its blade with its opis a relatively heavy, rigidlyfixed vertical 35 crating member whereby a closure of the bar 9 having athickened block-like central opening through which said link passes inportion 10. This bar has on its front face the enclosing casing shall be,insured rea projecting boss 11 and the doorv 2 has a gardless of theposition of the switch, said correspondingly formed elongated openingvlink being so formed that when the switch whose edges are designed toclosely fit 40 is equipped with a locking bolt, the latter around it. Atthe bottom of the boss a post cannot be moved-through a part of itspos-. 12 projects horizontally and at its outer end sible path ofmovement when the link is in is forked for the reception of aswitch-opersome position corresponding to a closed or ating member 13pivoted to it by a pin 14. partially closed condition of the switch. Themember 13. is prevented from moving 45 With my invention the switch mustbe in its inwardly toward the bar 9 beyond a posifully open positionbefore the bolt can be tion substantially parallel therewith by aoperated to lock the link and prevent closecond-post 15 at the top ofthe boss and sure of the switch. 7 said member at its upper end has ahandle I also desire to; provide. a switch with a 16, similar in form'tothat of an ordinary 60 novel form of connection between its opsingleblade switch. For limiting the outeratin member and its blade or bladesward movement of the member 13, its lower where y the quickdisengagement of the latend has an abutment 17 designed to strike terfrom the fixed contact or contacts is ina second abutment 18 provided bya suitably sured;the arranggment of parts being relplaced portion of thepost 12. A bar 19 of.

66 atively simple, su tantial, durable, and of insulating material suchas vulcanized fibre,

extends between and is movably connected to the two blades 6 at oradjacent their middle portions, by pins 20 having 'heads 21 1'0- tatablyfitting correspondingly formed open ings in said blades respectively.The latter are held to these pins by washers 22, outside of which theends of the pins are spread or headed as indicted at 23.

The cross bar 19 has mounted in it an arm or link in the form of a stem24 having an integral head 25 on its outer end and at its opposite endhaving a nut 26 between which and said bar is confined a coil spring 27.

The latter extends into a recess in the bar and has a cap 28 confinedbetween its outer end and the nut 26, being so designed that when thestem 24 is drawn outwardly through the bar 19, the edges of said capwill strike said bar before the convolutions of the spring are so farcompressed as to strike each other.

The head 25 of the stem 24 is connected to the handle 13 by an elongatedlink- 29 made of two similar fiat pieces both pivotally held to saidhead by a pin 30 and to said handle by a second pin 31. The head 25 hastwo pairs of abutments 32 and 33 between which pass the two parts orbranches of the link 29, and the space between these abutments isgreater than the width of said link parts so that said'head may turn toa limited extent relatively to the link 29 on the pivot pin 30.

The head '25 constitutes the central member of a spring toggle, havingat each side a link 34 pivotally connected to it by a pin or rivet 35and longitudinally slotted for the greater part of its length to receivea second pivot pin 36 mounted between the branches of the forked end ofa fixed arm 38 projecting downwardly and to the rear within the casing 1from the central en-.

largement 10 of the front bar 9. The second link 34 is similarlyconnected by its pin 36 to the forked end of a second arm 37 extendingupwardly from the structure 10 but not projecting so far toward the rearof the casing as the arm 36. The links 34 are guided between the forksof their arms 37 and 38 respectively by pairs of parallel plates orwashers 39 and each has mounted upon it a coil spring 40 confinedbetween a cap 41 adjacent said plates and a second cap 42 engaged by acottor pin 43 mounted in its link adjacent its point of connection tothe head 25.

The parts are so proportioned that when the switch blades 6 are in theirclosed position between'the clips of the fixed terminals 5. the handleor operating member 13 is perpendicular and in engagement with the post15. At such time the springs 40 of the links 34, as Well as the spring27 on the stem 24, are practically uncompressed. When an outward forceis exerted on the handle 16 of the operating member in order to open theswitch, the first efi'ect thereof is to cause a compression of thespring 27, owing to the longitudinal movement of the stem 24 through thecross bar 19, there being at the same time a compression of the togglesprings 40. At or just before the time when the cap 28 strikes the crossbar 19, the frictional hold of the switch clips 4 on the blades 6 isovercome so that they suddenly disengage said clips, whereupon thecompressed spring 27 expands to move the cross bar with the blades awayfrom the clips at an increased speed until said bar engages a flange 44on the stem 24 immediately adj acent the head 25.

The switch blades-6 are thus-caused to move away from the fixed-contactsat the moment of disengaging the same, at a speed very considerablyhigher than that due to the outward movement of the operating lever 13and the link 29, by the operator and as this outward movement iscontinued, the toggle elements 34 approach and pass the dead point atwhich they are substantially in line. Thereafter the springs 40 act toagain increase the speed of the outward movement of the switch bladesand their associated parts, until further movement is stopped byengagement of the abutment 17 on the operating member with itscooperating abutment 18 on the post 12.

It is to be noted that asthe above movements occur, the head 25 with thecross bar 19 turns on the pins 20 as an axis and moves from a positionin which the abutments 33 engage the branches of the link 29 to a second)OSltlOIl in which the latter is engaged by the abutments 32;-therebeing thus a slight turning of said head on the pivot 30.

Even if the outward movement of the operating member is made as slow aspossible, the above described arrangement of parts prevents the switchblades being held in a position immediately adjacent the terminal clips4, for since a straight line between the pivot pins 35 passes to oneside of the center line of the pin 30, the expansive force of thesprings 40 is exerted in such manner that it is a practicalimpossibility to bring and hold the parts to a position in which saidsprings can'not act to turn the head with the cross bar 19 in onedirection or the other and either to close the switch or move the bladesto their extreme open position. Similarly, when it is attempted to closethe switch, even though the operating member be slowly moved towardits'inner position, the springs 40 are first compressed.

llf.

to a. maximum extent when the four pins 36353536 all lie in the samestraight line, but in view of the freedom of the head .25 and cross bar19 to turn on the axis prohead from the position in which the abutments32 engage the link 29, As a result the lines of action of the forcesexerted by the sprin s extend on the inner side of the straig t linebetween the pivots 36, and the head with the cross bar and blades 6 aretherefore forcibly moved to their innermost positions in which saidblades engage the clips of the terminals 4.

While the above quickv make and break mechanism may be utilized asdescribed regardless of the shape of the link 29, I have illustrated thelatter as designed for coaction with a locking bolt mounted to movelongitudinally in guideways provided by passages in a block 51 of thebar 9 and a second passage in the structure 10. Such a locking bolt mayform part of and be operated by the apparatus shown and claimed in myapplication for U, S. Patent #198,968, filed October 29, 1917, and inorder that it may not be possible to move it through a portion of itspossible path of movement when the link 29 is not in its extreme outerposition with the switch blades 6 fully opened, I give the under edge ofsaid link the curved form indicated at 52, so that regardless of theswinging accompanying its longitudinal movement as the operating member13 is moved, said edge at all times remains adjacent the end of thebolt. The central portion of the link 29 (Fig. 3) is preferably cut awayor omitted so that when theoperating member 13 is in its extreme angularposition corresponding to the fully opened position of the switch blade6, said bolt 50 is free to be moved into said link element,,thuspreventing inward movement thereof and closure of the switch until thebolt has been withdrawn. v

It will further be noted that the upper edge of the link 29 is providedwith two enlargements or projecting parts 54 and 55, while its loweredge likewise has a similar projection 56 so placed that when theoperating member. 13 is in the closed position shown in Fig. 1, theprojections 55 and 56 completely close the opening in the block 10' andsimilarly, the projection 54 cooperates with the curved under edge ofthe link to likewise completely close said opening when the operatingmember 13 is in its fully open position. i I

From the above description it will be noted that the movement of theswitch blades away from their coacting fixed contacts is acce eratedjust as they clear the latter and their movement is agaln furtheraccelerated by the heavier springs of the toggle elements, after theselatter have been brought to and past positions in which their pivots areapproximately in line. As a result, even though the operating member bemoved at a slow speed, the switch'blades are moved at such a highvelocity that destructive arcing two blades; a rotatable is effectuallyprevented. Owing to the peculiar shape given the connecting link, thelocking bolt is effectually prevented from movement until said link hasbeen drawn outwardly to a position in which the switch blades are attheir maximum distance from the fixed switch contacts, and this resultis obtained in spite of the lateral swinging of two spring toggleelements pivoted thereto;

an oscillatory intermediate element pivoted to both of said toggleelements; a switch including a reciprocable blade pivotally connectedwith atlng member connected through said to the intermediate element.

2. Thecombination of a switch including a pivoted blade; a memberrotatably connected to said blade: a head connected to said member; aspring toggle connected to the head to accelerate movement of the bladeon either side of a dead point; an operating member; a longitudinallymovable link connecting the head with the operating mem ber; and aspring operative between "the head and the rotary member.

3. The combination of a switch including a blade; an operating member; alink and an oscillatory head pivotally connected between said member andthe blade; abutments on the head for limiting its pivotal movement saidintermediate element; a longitudinally movable link and an oper linkrelatively to the link; with a spring toggle operative on the head foraccelerating openmg and closing of the blade.

4. The combination of'a switch including block connecting said blades;ahead having a portion longitudinally movable through said block; a

spring between the head and the block; a spring toggle connected to thehead for accelerating movement of the blade toward and from its closedposition; and an operating member connected to said head,

5.' The combination of a switch including two .blades; a rotatable blockconnecting said blades; a head having a portion longi tudinally movablethrough said block; a spring between the head and the block; two springactuated toggle links respectively connected to opposite sides of thehead for accelerating movement of the blade toward and from its closedposition; and an operating member connected to said head.

6. The combination of a switch including a blade; a block pivoted tosaid blade; a

frictionally engaged thereby;

member slidable through the block; a spring operative between the blockand a portion of said member; an operating member pivotally connected tosaid slidable'member; and two spring toggle elements operative on saidfirst member to accelerate its movement on either side of a dead point.

7. The combination of a' switch including a blade; a block pivoted tosaid blade; a member slidable through the block; a spring operativebetween the block and a portion of said member; an operating memberpivotally connected to said slidable member; and two spring toggleelements operative on said first member to accelerate its movement oneither side of a dead point, there being abutments on the slidablemember to limit its movement relatively to the operating memher.

8. The combination of a switch including atpivoted blade and a contactplaced to be a block pivotally connected to the blade; an operatingmember; a member connected to the operating member and slidable throughthe block;

with a spring operative between the block and said slidable member foraccelerating movement of the blade away from the contact after it hasdisengaged the same.

9. The combination of a switch including a plurality of blades andcontacts mounted to coact therewith; a bar extending between said bladesand having pivot pins rotatably engaging the same; an oscillatory memberconnected to said bar; two spring toggle elements operative on saidmember; and an operating member connected to the oscillatory member.

10. The combination of a switch; a bar connected to the movable elementof said switch; and means for operating the switch including a stemextending through the bar; a spring mounted between a head fixed on thestem and said bar; with an abutment on the stem for limiting itsmovement under the action of the spring.

11. The combination of a switch; a bar connected to the movable elementof said switch; and means for operating the switch including a stemslid-able through the bar; a cap on said stem; and a spring confinedbetween the cap and the bottom of a recess in the bar.

12. The combination of a switch; a bar connected to the movable elementof said switch; and means for operating the switch including a stemslidable through the bar; a cap on said stem; and a spring confinedbetween said cap and the bar, the cap being formed to engage the barbefore the convolutions of the spring engage each other.

13. The combination of an operating element; a switch blade; a linkconnected to the operating element; a member pivotally connected withthe blade and with the link; and a pair of spring actuated toggle linksoperative on said member.

14. The combination of an operating element; a switch blade; a pluralityof links connecting said blade and said element, one of said links beinglongitudinally yieldable; stops on one of the links for limiting itsangular movement relatively to the other; with a spring toggle operativeon one of the links. I

15. The combination of a switch including a pivoted blade; a headrotatably connected to said blade; an operating member; a linkconnecting said member and the head; with a device interposed betweenthe head andthe blade for accelerating movement of the latter.

16. The combination of a switch including a pivoted blade; a headrotatably connected to said blade; an operating member; a linkconnecting said member and the head; a device interposed between thehead and the

